Pre-recorded optical media (e.g., optical discs) can be mass-replicated inexpensively and constitute an ideal distribution medium for many types of data, including, for example, compact disc (CD)-Audio, digital versatile disc (DVD)-Video, CD read-only memory (CD-ROM), Blu-ray discs (BD). Many optical disc applications can be enhanced or made more secure if the pre-recorded discs are made unique or serialized such that a typical readout device can identify the unique information. This is currently only possible with recordable media that has an added expense associated with recording, or on pre-recorded media via Burst Cutting Area (BCA) code writing for DVD, BD, and so on, where BCA has limited data capacity and limited application compatibility.
A proposed alternative for improving disc security involves the use of radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, in which an optical media with pre-recorded content is provided with an electro-optic layer, which allows the media to be disabled at a manufacturing facility, and subsequently enabled at a point of sale using RF activation. There is, however, still a need for additional techniques for disc activation in a manufacturing, a distribution or a retail setting,